Carbon offsetting is a way to compensate for emissions by funding an equivalent carbon dioxide saving elsewhere. Here’s how festivals can use this strategy:
- Calculate Carbon Footprint: The first step in carbon offsetting is to calculate the event’s total carbon footprint. This includes emissions from transportation (both of the festival-goers and goods), energy consumption, waste generation, and more.
- Authoritative Source: The Greenhouse Gas Protocol provides widely used international standards for how to measure, manage, and report greenhouse gas emissions: GHG Protocol
- Reduce Emissions: Once the carbon footprint is calculated, look for ways to reduce these emissions first. This can include switching to renewable energy sources, reducing waste, encouraging public transportation, etc.
- Purchase Carbon Offsets: For the emissions that can’t be avoided, carbon offsets can be purchased. These funds typically support projects that reduce or remove greenhouse gas emissions, such as reforestation initiatives, methane capture at landfills, renewable energy projects, and more.
- Authoritative Source: The United Nations offers a platform for climate neutral now initiatives which includes certified projects for carbon offsetting: UNFCCC – Climate Neutral Now
- Work with a Reputable Provider: It’s essential to work with a reputable carbon offset provider to ensure that the funds are used effectively. Look for providers that are third-party verified.
- Authoritative Source: Gold Standard is a certification body that sets best practice standards for climate and development interventions to maximize impact, creating value for people around the world and the planet we share: Gold Standard
- Involve Attendees: Some festivals give attendees the option to purchase a carbon offset when they buy their ticket. This not only helps offset the festival’s carbon footprint but also raises awareness among attendees about their carbon emissions.
- Authoritative Source: Music Declares Emergency, a group of artists, music industry professionals and organisations that stand together to declare a climate and ecological emergency and call for an immediate governmental response to protect all life on Earth, provides a guide for making music tours more sustainable, including offsetting emissions: Music Declares Emergency – Green Riders Guide
Carbon offsetting is a complex topic, and while it can be part of a festival’s sustainability strategy, it’s important to remember that it’s not a solution in itself. The first priority should always be to reduce emissions as much as possible. Carbon offsetting can then be used to compensate for unavoidable emissions.
